Comments on Development of the State and Local Implementation Grant Program

USDA, Rural Utilities Service, Comments on Development of the State and Local Implementation Grant Program for the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network

The Rural Utilities Service, an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides the following comments on the subject grant program:

The Consultation Process:

1a. What data should States compile for the consultation process with FirstNet

Consistent with Section 6206(c)(2) of the Act, States should:

(i)            Identify all telecommunications service providers currently operating with their jurisdiction  have constructed a core network or built out a radio access network as well as rural electric or water utilities which may own and operate communications infrastructure including dark fiber and fiber backhaul capacity which may be useful to FirstNet deployment. 

(ii)          Identify not only the placement of towers within their jurisdiction, but also the loading of those towers to determine whether space is available for additional equipment on those towers that may be needed to service a public safety broadband network in the prospective coverage area.

(iii)         Determine the coverage areas of the identified networks, including coverage in rural areas of the existing networks, and whether the radio access portion of those networks can provide the bandwidth necessary to perform broadband public safety functions, and also whether the core networks can serve the needs of a public safety broadband network.

(iv)         Assess the adequacy of hardening efforts to protect those networks with particular attention to the network’s cyber security implementation, physical security in the form of protection of the network assets from natural and manmade disasters, and the features of the network’s architecture that can provide the redundancy and resiliency necessary to recover from a network disaster whether natural or manmade.  

(v)          Develop policies that provide a consistent assignment of priority to local users across their jurisdictions, dependent on the bandwidth available on the local portions of the network.

(vi)         Develop policies that provide a consistent assignment of priority and selection of entities seeking access to, or use of, the nationwide public safety interoperable broadband network.  These policies should provide for consistency across the State jurisdiction and should promote non-discriminatory access to the network to the extent that the bandwidth available on the network allows.

(vii)        Assess the training needs of local users, and have plans to encourage the deployment of broadband network equipment and devices that minimize training requirements in areas with limited human resources and network expertise.     

The NTIA should consult with tribal communities on a government to government basis to identify similar assets and needs for FirstNet.  Additionally,NTIA may benefit from consulting with RUS on a regular basis on how to include active borrower networks into the nation wide planning and deployment goals of Firstnet.

1b. Should this activity be covered by the State and Local Implementation grant program

The above activities should be covered by the State and Local Implementation grant program to the extent that this information is not readily available from programs previously established by the States.

3a. Given these interrelated activities, how should the State and Local Implementation grant program be used by States to assist in gathering the information to consult with FirstNet?

In some cases, the information needed by the States to consult with FirstNet will be available through the records of current service providers, or through databases established by government and non-profit entities in their efforts to promote broadband penetration.  In these cases, the State and Local Implementation grant program can be used to identify these readily available sources of information and to ensure that the information they provide is sufficient for consultation between the State and FirstNet.  In other cases, the information needed for consultation will not be available, or will not be sufficient to support consultation.  In these cases, this grant program should provide for the development of  information by professional engineering and consulting firms with the demonstrated experience and expertise to create this information in a usable format. 

3b. Should consistent standards and processes be used by all States to gather this information?  If so, how should those policies and standards be established?  What should those policies and standards be?

Ideally, consistent standards and processes should be used by all States to gather this information.  In reality, the variation among telecommunications technologies and operating practices make consistent standards and processes a difficult goal to achieve.  Consistent standards should be the goal of the NTIA.  The  policies and standards that are established to advance those goals should in coordination with entities with experience in collecting uniform telecommunications information, such as the state utility commissions.  

3c. What time period should NTIA consider for States to perform activities allowed under the grant program as it relates to gathering the information to consult with FirstNet?

One year may be necessary for the States to gather information to consult with FirstNet, depending on the information that NTIA ultimately decides to require.  Requiring consistent standards, process and policies for gathering this information would extend any time frame needed to gather this information.

Leveraging Existing Infrastructure

5a. How should States and local jurisdictions plan to use and/or determine the suitability of their existing infrastructure and equipment for integration into the public safety broadband network?

Leveraging existing utility infrastructure will be critical to expeditious, affordable and reliable deployment of FirstNet in rural areas.  However, until the technical standards for the public safety broadband network are fully established, the build-out requirements determined, and the operating procedures understood, it will be challenging for State, local and tribal jurisdictions to plan for using and/or determining the suitability of their existing infrastructure and equipment.  Therefore, as standards, requirements and procedures are being developed for FirstNet, the State, local and tribal jurisdictions should be gathering information in a format flexible enough to accommodate the evolution of the technical standards, build-out requirements and operating procedures of FirstNet.  This increases the importance of existing service providers in developing information needed to determine the suitability of existing infrastructure for integration into the public safety broadband network.

Fortunately, the USDA’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) has a nationwide network of General Field Representatives (GFRs) knowledgeable about the existing telecommunications, electric and broadband infrastructure built-out under their grant and loan programs.  The RUS would be pleased to lend this expertise in determining the suitability of existing funded infrastructure as FirstNet’s technical standards and build-out requirements evolve.   

5b. What technical resources do States have available to assist with deployment of the nationwide public safety broadband network?

As stated above, the RUS can offer its General Field Representatives as resources to assist with the deployment of the nationwide public safety network in rural areas.  In addition, USDA’s Rural Development mission area has a network of state offices with extensive knowledge about rural areas.   We encourage NTIA to include USDA Rural Development state directors and RUS GFRs in any state wide planning/implementation team planning, particularly for rural area funding and deployment.

5c. How will States include utilities or other interested third parties in their planning activities?

The RUS encourages States to work with us in including telecommunications service providers, rural electric, rural water, and other utilities, that work directly with the RUS in their planning activities.

 6b. Should States serve as clearinghouses or one-stop shops where entities bidding to build and operate portions of the FirstNet network can obtain access to resources such as towers and backhaul networks?  If so, what would be involved in setting up such clearinghouses?

Yes, States should serve as clearinghouses.  These clearinghouses could be set up as web-based information exchanges among existing telecommunications service providers, and their authorized representatives.  However, participation in the clearinghouse should be strictly limited to those entities that accurately provide all of the information required to become a member of the clearinghouse.  This will encourage information sharing because the benefit of sharing information for a service provider is that it obtains access to the information of other service providers willing to share the information that the clearinghouse requires of its members.  

6c. Should setting up a clearinghouse be an eligible cost of the grant program.

The cost of setting up, advertising, maintaining, monitoring and moderating the clearinghouse should be eligible costs of the grant program. 

State and Local Implementation Grant Activities

7. What are some of the best practices, if any, from existing telecommunications or public safety grant programs that NTIA should consider adopting for the State and Local Implementation grant program?

The RUS/REA model of financing combined with engineering standards facilitated the construction of rural electric and telecommunications networks in an affordable, reliable way.  Standard RUS contracts, warrantees and lending practices allowed diverse systems meeting local needs develop with the cost and reliability advantages of a national program.  The RUS principal of “area-wide” coverage also assured that services would be made available to the greatest number of consumers possible within a service territory.  RUS has encouraged deployment of networks in rural areas by including scoring preferences for applicants seeking to serve rural areas.  The RUS uses the Farm Bill’s definition for “rural area” to determine which applicants should receive the scoring preferences.  RUS encourages FirstNet to look at the rural electrification model for balancing local and national needs. 

8. What type of activities should be allowable under the State and Local Implementation grant program?

The development of information on existing infrastructure should be an allowable activity.  In addition, an assessment of the usefulness of the existing infrastructure for providing public safety broadband services should be an allowed.  Finally, market assessments of potential customers for the use of the public safety broadband network should be allowed.  This is particularly critical for rural areas since public safety broadband users may be few and far between. 

9. What types of costs should be eligible for funding under the State and Local Implementation grant program (e.g., personnel, planning meetings, development/upgrades of plans, or assessments)?

Costs for the activities listed in 8. above should be allowed.  Because outreach is an important part of developing the information required to efficiently deploy a public safety broadband network, outreach activities, including meetings, webinars, and informational materials should be eligible. 

9a. Should data gathering on current broadband and mobile data infrastructure be considered an allowable cost? Yes.  The RUS supports data gathering on current broadband and mobile data infrastructure as an allowable cost.

9b. Should the State and Local Implementation grant program fund any new positions at the State, local, or tribal level that may be needed to support the work to plan for the nationwide public safety broadband network?  If so, what, if any, restrictions should NTIA consider placing on the scope of hiring and the type of positions that may be funded under the grant program?

The RUS has no comment about the creation of specific positions at the State, local or tribal levels.  The RUS can offer planning expertise through its network of General Field Representatives, who are familiar with the capabilities of existing funded telecommunications and broadband infrastructure, and can work with existing and newly created positions at the State, local or tribal levels. 

10. What factors should NTIA consider in prioritizing grants for activities that ensure coverage in rural as well as urban areas? A key factor is demonstrated success in deploying broadband networks in rural areas.  Rural service providers financed by RUS who have met the unique challenges of building networks across rugged terrain and in remote locations demonstrate a key success factor.  The sustainability of these providers should also be considered as well, and any aspect of NTIA’s implementation of a National Public Safety Broadband Network that draws resources away from the economic sustainability of a rural area and its current service providers should be avoided.  This will ensure sustainable, long-term FirstNet coverage in rural areas that can also rely on their existing infrastructure to remain, or become, economically vibrant. 

11. Are there best practices used in other telecommunications or public safety grant programs to ensure investments in rural areas that could be used in the State and Local Implementation grant program?  As stated in number 7 above, the RUS has encouraged deployment of networks in rural areas by including scoring preferences for applicants seeking to serve rural areas as defined in the Farm Bill.  Qualified service providers with demonstrated ability to deploy broadband networks in rural areas, who submit eligible applications, should be similarly prioritized.

15a. Should NTIA consider allocating the funds based on population?

For rural areas, geography, economic need and population density should be considered.  The RUS has used the relative population density of the proposed funded service area to the total area (however defined) to determine funding priority, given that absolute population densities in rural areas generally tend to be low.  In addition, emergency communications needs, for example in border regions, near critical infrastructure or along transportation, or near sensitive areas may be completely unrelated to population.

15b. What other targeted allocation methods might be appropriate to use?

Critical needs related to specific emergency communications vulnerabilities may be useful.  Cost per household served should also be considered.  Due to terrain and other conditions in rural areas, it is sometimes less costly to serve relatively less densely populated areas than those that are more populated.  Also, for critical infrastructure, the low cost of serving a specific area can be used as an allocation factor.  In the case of existing critical infrastructure the local population may be sparse, but the population potentially affected by a disaster affecting that infrastructure could be quite large.  Finacial need, especially among areas that have critical unmet public safety communications needs, like tribal communities should also be a targeting objective.

18. What public interest factors should NTIA consider when weighing whether to grant a waiver of the matching requirement of State and Local Implementation grant program? 

Because rural service providers do not enjoy the economies-to-scale of their urban counter-parts, they cannot always devote the resources necessary to responding to initiatives such as Nationwide Interoperable Public Safety Broadband Network.  In addition, they usually do not have the financial resources to devote to responding to such initiatives.  The result could be that existing infrastructure in rural areas is overlooked, which is contrary to the Act’s stated intent in Section 6206(c)(3) to leverage existing infrastructure.  Therefore, a waiver of the matching requirement for rural providers generally, and tribal areas in particular, would be in the public interest for purposes of leveraging existing infrastructure per the Act.

End

Beth Ann Jackson <ejackson@KANDF.COM>
Thu Jun 28 11:57:01 2012
These Comments are filed by the North Central Regional Broadband Data Consortium (“NCRBDC”), in response to the Request for Information (“RFI”) released May 16, 2012, in the above-entitled proceeding.

Murray, Theresa C CIV NG RI ARNG [mailto:theresa.c.murray@us.army.mil]
Friday, June 22, 2012 8:59 AM

Ms. Pettus:

Thank you for the opportunity to submit the attached comments on behalf of the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency and the Rhode Island Interoperable Communications Committee in response to the May 16 National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Request for Information (RFI) on the Development of the State and Local Implementation Grant Program for the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (Docket No: 120509050–1050–01; RIN 0660–XC001).

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding this submission.

Sincerely,

Theresa C. Murray

Goni, Usman S (IS) [Usman.Goni@ngc.com]
Fri 6/15/2012 8:20 PM

To: Ms. Laura M. Pettus
Communications Program Specialist,
Office of Telecommunications and Information Applications,
NTIA – Washington DC.

Attached, please find Northrop Grumman’s response to the NTIA RFI for the development of the State and Local Implementation Grant Program for the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network.  

Sincerely,
Usman

Usman S Goni, PhD
Northrop Grumman System Corporation
Civil Systems Division |Civil, Cyber & Security Unit
15010 Conference Center Dr, Chantilly VA 20151
Ofc: 571-313-2918 | Cell: 571- 271-3948  | Email: usman.goni@ngc.com

Attached are the Washington State Interoperability Executive Committee (SIEC) comments on the Development of the State and Local Implementation Grant Program, Docket No: 120509050–1050–01.  Please contact me if you have questions or are unable to access the attached files.  Thank you.

Comment document attached.

Shelby D Johnson - Geographic Information Officer
Arkansas Geographic Information Office - Putting Arkansas on the Map
1 Capitol Mall
2nd Floor 2B 900
Little Rock, AR 72201
501.682.2767  Tel
501.682.6077  Fax
shelby.johnson@arkansas.gov  Email
http://www.gis.arkansas.gov  Web

Sir or Madam,

Attached please see Connected Nation’s comments on the FirstNet RFI.

Thomas M Koutsky
(202) 674-8409

Dear Ms. Pettus,

Attached are the comments of the National Congress of American Indians in response to the NTIA Request for Information in Docket No: 120509050-1050-01; RIN 0660-XC001

Please direct any comments or questions to me [lwheelock@ncai.org] or Brian Howard [bhoward@ncai.org] at NCAI.

Thank you,

Leslie Wheelock

Leslie A. Wheelock
Director of Economic Policy
National Congress of American Indians
1516 P Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20005
202-466-7767, ext. 592

Dear Assistant Secretary of Commerce Mr. Lawrence E. Strickling:
 
Raytheon submits its attached filing via email in the Department of Commerce, NTIA, Docket No. 120509050-1050-01, RIN 0660-XC001, Development of the State and Local Implementation Grant Program for the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network proceeding, on June 15, 2012.
 
If you should have any questions or desire any additional information, please do not hesitate contacting the undersigned.
 
Respectively submitted,
 
Patrick Fines

Patrick Fines | Director
Raytheon Network Centric Systems
Dulles, VA | 703-622-2337

Attached please find the comments of the Alarm Industry Communications Committee, submitted in response to NTIA’s Request for Information RIN 0660–XC001 in the above-captioned docket, which was published in the Federal Register on May 16, 2012.  

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thank you,

Salvatore Taillefer, Jr.
Blooston, Mordkofsky, Dickens,
Duffy & Prendergast, LLP
2120 L Street, NW Suite 300
Washington, DC 20037(202) 828-5562 direct line
(202) 828-5568 fax
sta@bloostonlaw.com

To Whom it May Concern,

Attached please find the State of Mississippi’s Comments to the National Telecommunication and Information Administration’s (NTIA) Request For Information (RFI) for the Development of the State and Local Implementation Grant Program for the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Vicki B. Helfrich
Executive Officer
Mississippi Wireless Communication Commission

Hello,

Please see our attached copy of our response to the FirstNet Planning Grant RFI.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Regards,

Travis

-------

Travis Durick | Broadband Technology Manager
State of North Dakota| Information Technology Department
701.328.1125 | tdurick@nd.gov | broadband.nd.gov

Thank you for the opportunity to comment in the NTIA’s RFI proceeding on the State and Local Implementation Grant Program, Docket No: 120509050–1050–01], RIN 0660–XC001.

If you have any questions or problems opening the attached comments, please contact me on my cell phone at 571-225-1884.

Brett Kilbourne

Brett Kilbourne
Utilities Telecom Council
1129 20^th Street, NW
Suite 350
Washington, DC 20036

Dear NTIA Staff,

Please find my attached inputs to the Public Safety RFI 05162012.

I hope what we are submitting is useful and in proper format.

If your require any added information, please contact me at your convenience.

Regards,

Steven R. Zielke I Vice President, Corporate Development and Americas
Consistel PTE Ltd.   www.consistel.com
847-394-1344 Office 847-414-8235 Cell

Attached please find the comments of Sprint Nextel Corporation in response to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s Request for Information regarding Development of the State and Local Implementation Grant Program for the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or comments.

Respectfully yours,

Rafi Martina

Adam “Rafi” Martina
Staff Attorney, Legal and Government Affairs
Suite 700, 900 7^th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
Rafi.Martina@sprint.com
571.287.8136 (office)
703.587.7480 (mobile)

The State of Hawaii, through its counsel, hereby submits the attached comments in response to the National Telecommunication and Information Administration’s request for information about the State and Local Implementation Grant Program for the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the development of a nationwide interoperable public safety network.

Thank you for the opportunity to submit the attached comments on behalf of the National Association of Counties (NACo), National League of Cities (NLC), United States Conference of Mayors (USCM), and National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA) in response to the May 16 National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Request for Information (RFI) on the Development of the State and Local Implementation Grant Program for the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (Docket No: 120509050–1050–01; RIN 0660–XC001).

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding this submission.

Sincerely,

Mitchel Herckis
Principal Associate for Federal Relations
National League of Cities
1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC  20004
202.626.3124 (office)
202.841.9130 (mobile)

Hi Laura,

Here are some comments on the FirstNet RFI. Have a great weekend!

Josh

Joshua Broder | President
Tilson Government Services, LLC
245 Commercial Street | Portland, ME 04101
t: +1 207-358-7402 | m: +1 (207) 653-0573 | f: +1 (207) 772-3427
Twitter @joshuabroder
jbroder@tilsontech.com | www.tilsongov.com

Attached please find comments by American Tower Corporation in response to NTIA’s Request for Information Regarding the Development of the State and Local Implementation Grant Program. 

Robert G. Kirk
Partner
2300 N Street, NW
Suite 700
Washington, DC 20037-1128
Main 202.783.4141
Direct 202.383.3363
Fax 202.783.5851
RKirk@wbklaw.com
www.wbklaw.com

Attached, please find the Comments of Alcatel-Lucent in response to the Request for Information on the Development of the State and Local Implementation Grant Program for the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network, including a presentation that accompanies the Comments.

Please confirm receipt of this submission.

Kindest regards,

Jeffrey A. Marks
Senior Counsel - Director
Regulatory Affairs
Public Affairs Americas Region
Alcatel-Lucent
1100 New York Avenue, N.W.
Suite 640, West Tower
Washington, DC 20005
Direct:   202-312-5913
Mobile:  202-236-3191
Fax:      202-312-5904
Jeffrey.Marks@Alcatel-Lucent.com

CT SBI leader comments on Q. 12 of NTIA SLIGP RFI (05/16/12).

Any questions or comments, please contact the contact below:

Thanks,

Bill Vallee
CT Broadband Policy & Programs Coordinator Office of Consumer Counsel
10 Franklin Square
New Britain, CT 06051
860-827-2905
cell 860-716-7177
william.vallee@ct.gov

Please find attached the comments of PCIA—The Wireless Infrastructure Association in the matter of development of the State and Local Implementation Grant Program for the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (Docket No. 120509050-1050-01).

Best,

Zac

D. Zachary Champ
Government Affairs Counsel
PCIA—The Wireless Infrastructure Association
(202) 527-9601
www.pcia.com

Dear Sirs/Madams:

Attached is the official response from Textron Systems Advanced Systems for the:

                National Telecommunications & Information Administration Request for Information

                Comments on Development of the State and Local Implementation Grant Program

                Date: June 15, 2012        

                Docket No: 120509050-1050-01

                RIN: 0660-XC001

Thank you for the opportunity to comment. Please direct questions to the contact information listed in the attached response.

Respectfully submitted,

Brandon Johnson, PMP
Director
Textron Systems Advanced Systems
An operating unit of Textron Systems
Ph: 512.358.2947
bjohnson@overwatch.textron.com
www.overwatch.com

Please find attached Comments of NRECA, NRTC & NTCA in response to the NTIA Notice dated May 16, 2012.

Thank you-

AMANDA WOODARD
Legal/Technical Administrative Assistant
Government Relations
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
4301 Wilson Blvd.  Arlington, VA 22203
PH: (703) 907-5556    FAX: (703) 907-5517
Amanda.Woodard@nreca.coop

NTIA,

Attached please find the cover letter and response to docket 120509050-1050-4 compiled by the State of Texas regarding the State and Local Implementation Grant Program for the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Regards,

Todd M. Early
Deputy Assistant Director
Public Safety Communications Service
Texas Department of Public Safety
512-424-2121

Greetings,

Attached, please find comments from Motorola Solutions, Inc. in response to the RFI in the matter of the Development of the State and Local Implementation Grant Program for the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network.

Regards,

Chuck

------------

Chuck Powers, Global Gov't Affairs
Motorola Solutions, Inc
phone: 202-371-6904
mobile: 512-576-0008
text message: 5125760008@vtext.com
chuck.powers@motorolasolutions.com

To whom it may concern:

Please find attached two sets of comments regarding the State and Local Implementation Grant Program RFI.  One set of comments is from Kristin Russell, CIO for the State of Colorado and the second is from the Office of Information Technology. 

Please contact me with any questions regarding this submission.

Thank you,

Brian Shepherd

Brian Shepherd
Broadband Program Manager
Governor's Office of Information Technology
601 E 18th St., Denver, CO 80203
303.764.7826 (D) | 720.320.3723 (M)
Brian.Shepherd@state.co.us

Attached is the State of Utah's official response to NTIA's May 16, 2012 Request for Information regarding "Development of the State and Local Implementation Grant Program for the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network" [Docket No: 120509050-1050-01].  A letter in support of the State of Utah comments from Governor Gary R. Herbert is also attached.

We appreciate the opportunity to comment on this important matter and thank NTIA for consideration of Utah's comments.

Regards,

Tara Thue
(Submitting on behalf of our working group representatives: the Utah Broadband Advisory Council, Department of Technology Services, Utah Communications Agency Network, Utah Division of Indian Affairs, Salt Lake City Corporation, members of the Utah State Interoperability Executive Committee and the Utah 911 Committee)

Tara N. Thue
Manager, Utah Broadband Project
Governor's Office of Economic Development
60 East South Temple, 3rd Floor
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111
office: (801) 538-8742  mobile: (801) 541-3473
tthue@utah.gov
website: http://broadband.utah.gov
twitter: @utahbroadband

Please see the attached comments. Should you have any questions, I may be reached at 770-270-7955.

Thanks,

Greg Ford

To Whom it May Concern,

On behalf of the Bay Area Regional Interoperable Communications System Authority (BayRICS), I have provided the attached response to the NTIA Request for Information regarding the State and Local Implementation Grant Program.  

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. 

Barry Fraser
BayRICS Authority
925-803-7882
barry.fraser@sfgov.org

On behalf of the Rhode Island Broadband Program Director of the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation,  attached are RIBB’s response to the NTIA’s Request for Comments issued in this matter.

Please let me know if you have any questions regarding this filing.

Alan M. Shoer
ADLER POLLOCK & SHEEHAN P.C.
One Citizens Plaza, 8th Floor
Providence, RI  02903
E-Mail ashoer@apslaw.com
Phone 401-274-7200
Direct 401-427-6152
Fax 401-751-0604

The following comments upon the NTIA FirstNet Request for Information are submitted on behalf of public safety and broadband organizations in Mendocino County, California.

Our RFI comments are attached in PDF file format.

Attached please find the Comments of Montgomery County, Maryland in the above-captioned proceeding, "Development of the State and Local Implementation Grant Program for the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network," Docket No. 120509050-1050-01, RIN 0660-XC001. 

Willette Hill  | Best Best & Krieger LLP
Legal Secretary Washington Office
2000 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W., Suite 4300, Washington, DC 20006
Direct: (202) 370-5310 | Fax: (202) 785-1234
email: willette.hill@bbklaw.com

Attached are comments in response to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Request for Information  seeking input on the $135 Million State and Local Implementation Grant Program.

We appreciate the opportunity to provide input on  the implementation of the Grant, and the development of the FirstNet process.

Please feel free to contact me with nay question.

Thank you.

Robert Barbato
Director/Statewide Interoperability Coordinator
Office of Interoperable & Emergency Communications
NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services
State Office Campus - Building 7A
1220 Washington Ave
Albany, NY 12242
RBarbato@dhses.ny.gov
Office:  518-322-4915

On behalf of the State of Nevada, attached hereto, please find the Comments of the State of Nevada submitted by its Commission on Homeland Security ((State of Nevada Network (“SONNet”) subcommittee)) in the above referenced Docket (Docket No. 120509050-1050-01).

Questions regarding these Comments may be sent to Chris Magenheimer, SONNet Program Manager (cmagenheimer@washoecounty.us ).

James T. Endres | Government Affairs Group Executive Director

MCDONALD CARANO WILSON LLP
100 West Liberty Street, 10^th Floor  |  Reno, NV 89501
phone (775) 788-2000  |  fax (775) 788-2020

Sir,

Please accept these comments on behalf of SEARCH.  Thank you for the opportunity to comment.

Mallorie F. Teubner
Director, Information Sharing Programs

SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice Information and Statistics
217.720.0729  /  mallorie@search.org  /  www.search.org

To Whom it May Concern,

We hereby file, on behalf of Operator Advisory Committee (OAC), the OAC response to the NTIA Request for Information regarding the State and Local Implementation Grant Program.  

If you have any issues opening the file, or any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. 

Best regards,

Sara Henry
LA-RICS Project Team
2525 Corporate Place, Suite 200
Monterey Park, CA  91754
Sara.Henry@LA-RICS.org
Office:  (323) 881-8311
Fax:       (323) 264-0718

Derek Nesselrode
Statewide Interoperability Coordinator
Commonwealth of Kentucky
94 Airport Rd. Frankfort KY. 40601
502-782-2064
derek.nesselrode@ky.gov

We are pleased to have the opportunity to respond and we look forward to working with NTIA on this very important initiative.

Regards,

George Bakolia   

George Bakolia
State of North Carolina
Office of Information Technology Services
(919) 754-2980 (office)
(919) 981-2548 (fax)
george.bakolia@nc.gov

The whom it may concern:

Attached please find the State of New Jersey’s comments to the National Telecommunication and Information Administration’s (NTIA) Request For Information (RFI) for the Development of the State and Local Implementation Grant Program for the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network.

Regards,

Bruce Leck

Bruce Leck
Broadband Program Manager
State of New Jersey
Office of Information Technology
(609) 777-2650
bruce.leck@oit.state.nj.us

Attached is our response on the above referenced RFI. Please refer any questions to either:

Chris Ford, cford@ventera.com, 703-442-5220, or
Virgil Stites, vstites@ventera.com, 209-620-8276

Thank you

The attached comments prepared by the New Mexico Department of Information Technology (NM DoIT) are hereby filed in response to NTIA’s Request for Information with regards to Development of the State and Local Implementation Grant Program for the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network, published at 77 Fed. Reg. 28857 (May 16, 2012). 

-Matthew Plache

Matthew J. Plache
Catalano & Plache, PLLC
3221 M Street, NW
Washington, DC 20007
Phone:  202-338-3200
Mobile:   571-286-1290
mjp@catalanoplache.com

Please find attached Booz Allen Hamilton’s response to NTIA’s Request for Information, Docket No. 120509050-1050-01 – Development of the State and Local Implementation Grant Program for the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network.  Thank you for the opportunity to provide our perspective on considerations we believe would help NTIA develop this important public safety program.

Best regards,

Brian Love
Principal
Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc.
(w):  202-898-3407
(e):  love_brian@bah.com

To whom it may concern,

Please find attached Minnesota’s response to the NTIA’s May 11, 2012 RFI on Development of the State and Local Implementation Grant Program for the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network.

Minnesota has been a national leader in public safety broadband planning, being the first state to our knowledge to complete a public safety broadband study including a comprehensive user needs assessment and statewide network design.

Minnesota is pleased to have the opportunity to provide input on this very important issue.

Thank you,

Brandon Abley
Minnesota Emergency Communication Networks
445 Minnesota Street, Suite 137
St Paul, Minnesota 55101-5137
Office: (651) 201-7554
Cell: (651) 263-0002

On behalf of Lt. Governor Rick Sheehy, I am forwarding Nebraska’s comments relative to Docket Number 120509050-1050-01, NTIA’s Request for Information seeking public comment on various issues relating to the development of the State and Local Implementation grant program, which NTIA must establish pursuant to the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 to assist state and local governments in planning for a single, nationwide interoperable public safety broadband network. Thank you.

Brenda L. Decker
Chief Information Officer
State of Nebraska
brenda.decker@nebraska.gov

Bill Price, Director Broadband Programs
Department of Management Services
Division of Telecommunications
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
D (850) 410-0709
Bill.Price@dms.MyFlorida.com

To whom it may concern,

The FEMA Region 5 Regional Emergency Communications Coordination Working Group (RECCWG), which is a multi-state working group established by congress to focus regional state collaboration and preparedness for communications amongst the region states is submitting our responses to the RFI requests to those questions we deem are most relevant to our ability to focus appropriate responses. The membership of the RECCWG consists of local and state public safety/first responder disciplines and the associated UASI areas within the region. In our region we had identified a subcommittee of the working group to focus on Public Safety Broadband and convened the committee to develop the responses that we submit to you today. Those members that helped prepare the responses are also copied on this email for reference as participants in this effort (other than the FEMA and OEC reps that I copied to inform them of the submission of comments for our region.) Please see attached the Adobe PDF document that we have developed in collaboration within our region. Thank You.

 -Brad

 Bradley A. Stoddard
Director – Michigan’s Public Safety Communications System (MPSCS)
Alternate Statewide Interoperability Coordinator (SWIC)
Department of Technology, Management and Budget
State of Michigan
4000 Collins Rd, Lansing, MI 48909
stoddardb@michigan.gov
Office – (517) 336-6108
Mobile – (517) 204-8051

Good day,

Attached are responses from the State of Maine to your request for information regarding the Development of the State and Local Implementation Grant Program for the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network.

If there are any problems with the file or questions please direct them to me.

Regards,

Wayne Gallant
Director, Network and Communication Services
Office of Information Technology
State of Maine
(207) 624-9424

Dear Secretary Strickling:

Attached you will find NASCIO’s comments to NTIA’s Request for Information for development of the state and local implementation grant program for the nationwide public safety broadband network. We appreciate the opportunity to comment on this RFI and look forward to working with NTIA and the FirstNet Board as it continues to evaluate ideas for the PSBN.

Kind Regards,

Pam

Pamela Richardson Walker
Director of Government Affairs
NASCIO
Hall of States
444 North Capitol Street NW, Suite 642
Washington, D.C. 20001-1511
P: (202) 624-8477
F: (202) 624-7745
C: (202) 215-2015
E:  pwalker@AMRms.com
W: www.nascio.org